Only Human
by StrawbeariRotsho
Summary: What does being a human have to do with falling in love? Only two people can answer that by discovering it themselves.
1. It Starts with the Hair

For Shiranai Atsune - sempai

Also from the Philippines, and has really awesome stories! I read some of them actually, and you guys should too! Shiranai-sempai is a big supporter of KyouAoi, and here is the fanfic you requested, Shiranai-sempai-sama! :3

You'll kinda understand why I call it _Only Human_ when I finish the story. Only 10 chappies, guaranteed!

Although I prefer calling Tsurugi as Kyousuke, it has a more Aoi-feel to it to call him Tsurugi, so yeah. :D

Disclaimer: Shiranai Atsune – sempai – sama does not own what I own or what belongs to Level 5, and I don't own anything but these words, and the people at Level 5 should really give us ice cream cause it's hot. :I

* * *

**1: It Starts with the Hair**

_Who could miss those blue strands under the sun?_

"Why have you never liked growing your hair?"

Normally, Aoi would have answered the question with ease, but it was kinda weird for Tsurugi, of all people, to be asking her that question. In fact, it was weird already that Tsurugi was socializing with the rest of the club. So she gaped. "Yo," Tsurugi called for her attention again, waving his hand in front of her face, as most people would.

"Less bother, I guess?" She tried to answer in a casually smart way. Tsurugi, even though he was an ex-SEED, made people feel and sound stupid. She was no different.

To her surprise, the other blue-haired person shrugged. "I don't find my hair bothersome, and it's longer and more in volume than yours." He looked at her again as he led her outside the clubroom.

They didn't hear Akane's camera making its gleeful flytrap snaps.

"Seems like Aoi-san's got someone else to walk her home today, Tenma," Kariya elbowed the freshman jokingly. Tenma grinned back wordlessly.

* * *

"Well…that's because yours stands and mine falls," Aoi argued playfully, already feeling herself loosen up. Maybe Tsurugi wasn't making people feel dull on purpose. Maybe he just really knew a lot. "Like, maybe your hair's immune to gravity?" She laughed; what would Tsurugi's hair fall be like, then? Kyousuke merely smirked— in a friendly way. "Maybe, maybe not. But if that were possible I don't think you'd want your hair standing up all the time too."

Aoi thought about it. She'd look like Kurumada-senpai every day… "No, I guess not." That was a scary thought. Kyousuke smirked kindly again. "Have you actually grown your hair long? At least once?"

"Well, there was a time when I was younger…maybe before I met Tenma?"

"Has he seen you with long hair? At least longer than now?"

Aoi smiled jestfully. "Last week. Before I had my haircut!"

Tsurugi deadpanned on her.

Now, normally, she would have apologized and taken back her words and offered Tsurugi three thousand gold pieces of whatever and run away. The only person who could actually get away with joking and goofing around with Tsurugi was his childhood best friend, but she was abroad in Greece again, visiting her parents with her aunt.

And maybe today, you can say she wasn't feeling like doing anything 'normal' when it came to Tsurugi Kyousuke.

Aoi continued grinning at Tsurugi, hoping he'd catch the smile-bug. "Come on, you weren't exactly specific with your words!" She teased as she poked the ace striker's arm. After a few more deadpanning and poking, Tsurugi sighed. "Okay, real funny Sorano, haha." But the boy was smiling despite the sarcasm.

"You can just call me Aoi. Everyone does." She smiled at him again. They were out of the school gates by then. Casually, Tsurugi answered her, "Yeah, well, I'm not everybody."

And just this once, Tsurugi smiled at her. Eyes, mouth, expression and all.

Sorano Aoi swore her hair stood up on its ends. The power of gravitational immunity. Whoa.

* * *

"_Hi there! Sorry, I can't pick up right now. But please do leave a message after the beep!" _The beep followed right after. "See, I told you she and Tsurugi-kun were dating." Akane smiled triumphantly as Midori and Kirino began to fork over their money that, clearly, they had lost in a bet they'd made seconds before Shinsuke made the call.

Akane found herself returning the money back to the two buddies.

"What? No way! Did you show him the one where you were at the beach?" Tenma entered the room as he spoke on the phone. Immediately, the four clubmates rushed to the first year and all hell broke loose. It began with Kirino's and Midori's hair getting caught in Akane's camera when she opened the back to take out the film. The camera leaped away from the Shindou-fangirl's grasp and landed itself on Tenma's cellphone-holding hand, which in turn dropped the cell, which Shinsuke caught and immediately released when Akane bumped him in an attempt to retrieve her camera.

Thankfully, the phone was put on loudspeaker before Shinsuke released his grip.

"_He just said he wanted to look at my hair when it was longer. Kinda weird, if you ask me. But Tsurugi's a really, really nice person once you talk to him…Tenma?" _Eventually, Tenma managed to crawl his way to his phone. "Well, you two _were_ talking about hair when you left. Did he go in your house?"

"_Of course not! I just sent him a multimedia message with the picture of my long hair. He said he was going somewhere."_

"So you're not dating?" Akane pouted; she could've used the money to buy small cameras to bug Shin-sama's room. Aoi laughed on the other line. _"What makes you think that? We're just acquaintances."_

"Yeah, but that's how all couples start out!" Kirino and Midori **(A/N: Wow they've been doing things a lot together, huh…)** yelled despite the combined weight of Tenma, Akane and Shinsuke.

"_And if that were true, wouldn't you think everyone would've gotten together already?"_

"…Touché."

* * *

"Churugi!" An orange-haired patient greeted as soon as Kyousuke slid the door open. "Why is he here, nii-san?" An exasperated question from an annoyed boy. Yuuichi merely chuckled. "We're hospital buddies, Kyousuke. And he's of your batch; maybe you should get to know each other more."

"Oh, we know each other, Yuuichi-san. But what I don't know is that girl on his phone!" Taiyou gleefully pointed out at Aoi's message. Yikes.

"None of your business, Amemiya," Kyousuke growled, hating the fact that he was ruining bonding time with his nii-san, but more hate on the part where he forgot to exit Sorano's multimedia message. He was quite busy ogling a little at her cute toddler self.

What the heck just got in his head…Maybe he should lay off the soaps for a bit...?

"Ah, well, whatever," Taiyou shrugged it off. He wasn't particularly interested when he was curious about the brown-haired boy that kept stalking Churugi to the hospital. "But it's weally bad choo hide sheecwetsh, Churugi." Taiyou grinned with much mischief. Kyousuke impatiently waved it off.

But still, he wasn't denying the fact that Sorano-toddler was pretty cute.

* * *

How's this for a first chapter, Shiranai-sempai-sama? By far, this has been the fastest post I've made, prolly after how many hours, I guess? Hihi. :D Hopefully I can post the other 9 chapters without problems in our internet! O3O

And as for the rest of you readers, you bettah review! Woohoo! AniMa isn't hiding anymore weeeee. :D

-AniMa


	2. Eye to Eye

For Shiranai Atsune - sempai

Jer-bear, I'm not dedicating this to you, because Okinaru hates me now. Pretty much Taiyou too if he knew. Keep Gami asleep, alright? 8I And OMTOMATOES I can't believe I mentioned her in the earlier chappie even if I knew what was going to happen here! I'm a bad mama…

Disclaimer: Question, do I own Inazuma Eleven? HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA no…

* * *

**2: Eye to Eye**

_Orange and blue are complementary colors, you know._

For the past few days, Aoi had learned to be able to speak comfortably with Tsurugi. After the hair incident, as they'd addressed it, they'd become good friends— enough to actually share jokes and introduce one another to their families.

But when it came to being open with the club, Aoi noticed the difficulty it presented to Tsurugi. "Come on, I'm just like them, Tsurugi. We're all good people who love to play soccer and blah and blah. It's not that hard now, is it?"

"It is when I have to do it on my own," Tsurugi gritted his teeth and walked away from her as soon as the bell rang. He may not have class, but she did.

Something in his eyes told her of an unspoken feeling.

* * *

"Tsurugi, talk to me," Aoi grabbed the former's arm and spun him around to face her, just before soccer practice that afternoon. "Tsurugi, we're friends. And friends communicate; they talk to each other." Before the orange-eyed boy could retort with sarcasm, Sorano's words made him stop short of his own.

"I saw it in your eyes, Tsurugi. You were scared."

He sighed. Playing the angry ex-SEED card didn't work on the girl anymore, and secretly, he didn't mind it. He took the blue-eyed girl to a more secretive place, just to avoid Kariya's snooping around. "Okay, so I'm terrified of making friends. That's not the problem. I've been too mean and impolite to your team—"

"_Our_ team," Aoi corrected him. "You're one of us now, and always will be." But Tsurugi shook his head. "You accept me because we're friends. The rest of them…my team almost pulverized them in one game; I got Minamisawa to quit the club, yet you're still here, watching out for me. Why is that?"

"Long, cliché explanation short, friends accept each other for who they are. And even if that's not what you think, how are you going to know if you're not going to try?" Sorano lectured sternly. Kami, she sounded like a mother already. But she so badly wanted Tsurugi to socialize; she can't always be there for him, even if she wanted to.

"You may be glaring at me, but Sorano, you're still a kid in my eyes."

Kyousuke patted her head softly, and Aoi felt herself blush. '_A kid,' He called me a kid. Ugh, Tsurugi!'_ She shook the thought away and decided on a smart retort. "So says the teen that's not mingling with the rest right now." It caught the blue-haired boy off-guard.

"Watch me then." He growled, having a short staring contest with the blue-haired girl before clumsily marching off to where the rest of the managers and players were. _'Wait. Did I just get really close to Sorano there? I smelled her strawberry shampoo.' _Tsurugi stopped mid-thought, and turned back around to Sorano, who was actually quickly approaching him.

"Whoa, you okay?" He helped her up without much effort. The rest of the team was watching now. "Uh, Tsurugi, I just thought maybe you'd still need me beside you, especially at a crucial moment like this, so…"

"You're staring into my eyes again." He smirked haughtily. She blushed even more.

"It's called eye-contact! And don't get all high and mighty with me when you need my help!"

Tsurugi grunted, clearly against it, but secretly thankful. "Then let's go."

"You gotta stop staring at me first." Ha! Now she was able to get back at him for that staring thing. It wasn't her fault he had long lashes. Tsurugi suppressed a blush appearing on his features, and grabbed Sorano's wrist, ready to approach the team. _'I'm actually friends with this girl. Why do I not hate it as much as I'm supposed to?'_

* * *

"M-minna, you all know Tsurugi," Sorano's buddy mentally facepalmed himself. He may have been socially awkward, but at least he knew how to make a good introduction. He felt her pinch his arm. "And, well, I noticed that you guys aren't talking to him much. We're a team, right? We should be friendlier with one another!" Sorano concluded. Ugh, even Tsurugi was trying hard not to ruin this.

"Well, we were kinda scared to approach Tsurugi, and you," Shinsuke spoke up first, with Tenma right behind him. "Because you two have been getting close often we thought it best not to disrupt you…" Tenma teetered. To the team's surprise, Tsurugi smirk-smiled and Aoi laughed a little.

"I thought if I started out slowly and one by one, the rest of you would go easy on me. I guess that plan failed." Tsurugi explained. Now Aoi was giggling even more. "Really? You're a horrible planner, Tsurugi."

"So says the girl who couldn't decide whether to come with me or watch me succeed."

"Succeed? You got to talk with Tenma and Shinsuke because I'm here!"

Everyone but Tsurugi and Aoi thought it best to just watch them. The two were talking— arguing more to each other than paying attention to the main objective. Well, the team promised to talk to Tsurugi and make him feel welcome, alright. Maybe when he's not busy gazing at Aoi.

* * *

"Your eyes tell me you wouldn't have liked being away from me, Sorano," Tsurugi crossed his arms smugly. Aoi felt her face reddening again. There will be hell to pay.

"And your eyes tell me that you're thankful that I was here to help you!"

"Come on, can't you read other facial expressions other than eyes?" Kariya booed boredly. Hikaru hid, in fear of being affected by his buddy's punishment or consequence or whatever Aoi-san and Tsurugi were going to do to him because of his comment.

"The eyes are the windows to the soul." Both Tsurugi and Aoi looked at the tealnet with so much conviction.

Those two were scary and cute at the same time…

"Do you guys always make eye contact when you talk?" Hikaru squeaked, which effectively stopped Tsurugi and Aoi's playful bickering. They looked at each other in a small, silent chat to see what the other was going to say. "Never mind, I guess that's a yes." Hikaru's mouth formed a small smile; even the two blue-haired teens had silent agreements and eye conversations. They were that close!

"I was just going to tell Sorano that there was a morning star in her eye." Tsurugi crossed his arms and huffed, attempting to look prideful despite the pink in his face. Aoi panicked. "Wh-what? Where? Oh my Kami, nobody told me? And it's been on my face the whole day! Someone get me a mirror, please!"

Tsurugi coughed to subdue a laugh. Who would've thought someone cute as a toddler and in their current state would be so conscious?

He said cute again. Shoot.

"I'm kidding, Sorano!" He chuckled a little, ruffling her hair softly. Kariya couldn't decide which of them was redder in the face. Hikaru gambled on Tsurugi. "Geez, you shouldn't worry much about that. Your eyes will crinkle."

"Why do you keep looking at my eyes?"

The two exited the room and onto the field. Nobody but them was walking through the hall. Sorano Aoi swore to herself that day that she was never going to crinkle her eyes. Ever.

"Because they're cute."

* * *

I'm quite fond of last words, huh…

Review, review and review! Come on, aren't you people KyouAoi fans? I know you are, cause you read this! Now review or face the wrath of my typing powers! Chachachachaaaaa. :D

Shiranai-sempai-sama, look! Chappie 2! Yay! \(*v*)/

-AniMa


	3. Beauty is Skin-deep

For Shiranai Atsune - sempai

I won't stop putting that because it's cool! :D Thanks for your review, sempai-sama! TTuTT And thanks also for the follows and favorites. Now Jer-bear is really going to have my head. No worries, she owes me a racquet-whacked face.

Don't we just love each other? *v*

Disclaimer: ICECREAMICECREAMICECREAM.

* * *

**3: Beauty is Skin-deep**

_And only she saw who he was, deep inside._

Even though he didn't really make much of an effort out of it, Tsurugi had admirers and fangirls and the like. They were all over at school. And as for Aoi, there had been a few confessions here and there, from her batchmates to her sempai-tachi.

Tsurugi never approved.

'_Why am I even threatening her admirers or something?'_ The ex-SEED brooded to himself as he glared at the boy currently confessing to Sorano. The girl meanwhile was hoping this was going to end quickly. _'Wait…what? Didn't I usually get flattered and pay attention to what the boy was saying?' _Oh! The reason as to how Tsurugi acquired fans/followers/stalkers/admirers, by the way, is because of his famously infamous glare, which apparently, women had found mesmerizing.

Aoi felt uncomfortable.

"Um…I'm sorry, but I really don't have time for this. And I'm sorry, but I can't return your feelings," Aoi recited her already-becoming-regular rejection speech to the unfortunate boy. Tsurugi felt himself smirk so evilly, even Fudou would have been ashamed. "I have to go now, senpai, but we can always talk about other things and be friendly to one another! See you!" Hastily, she made a deep bow before spinning on her heel and dragging Tsurugi by the elbow away from the corridor.

"What?" He whined, obviously enjoying the silent torture he'd been giving to his victim. But he didn't mind this either. In fact, he was already contemplating on Sorano's warm but soft hand that was gripping his elbow. "Sorry. I just _really_ needed a reason to leave that place."

"I sure feel helpful."

"Ugh," They ended up being in another corridor, probably on the other wing, just a few floors higher. "Why do you even go with me whenever someone's about to confess to me?"

"Why do _you_ go with _me_ when I receive confessions?"

Aw, man. Tsurugi always got her.

"W-well, t-that's because I'm your friend!" She managed to reason out. Kami, that was a lame excuse. But Tsurugi laughed anyway. "Then the same would go for me." He smiled softly at her.

And this was where the saying, 'Don't judge a book by its cover' was most applicable.

* * *

"Going already?" Aoi pouted as soon as Tsurugi had changed to civilian clothes after practice that afternoon. "What's with the face? You're crinkling your eyes again." Tsurugi observed as they exited the clubroom. Aoi felt herself blushing uncontrollably once more.

"_Because they're cute."_

"Ugh. I honestly don't know," She wailed in defeat. Maybe it was weird to tell him that she liked hanging out with him. "But I also don't know where you go. It's like, so early after practice, and you're leaving already. Why _is_ that?" The blue-eyed girl was wondering to herself now. Tsurugi found that subconscious pout of hers adorable.

Whoa, whoa, wait. Now he's thinking adorable? Argh.

And since he had been thinking of her as adorable instead of cute, he secretly just couldn't resist her either. Not that he'd ever say that out loud. "Fine," Now even he looked more defeated than his female companion. "But you gotta keep this a secret from everyone, got it?" Aoi merely blinked in confusion. "S-sure."

When Tsurugi introduced her to his family, he didn't include his brother. Tenma was the first to know after stalking him, but the orange-eyed boy immediately FedEx-ed him to Amemiya's room, since that sunhead was always curious about Matsukaze. It was a good thing that the brown-haired freshman didn't tell anyone, or else he'd have died from multiple Death Drop attacks long ago.

* * *

"Why are we at the hospital?" Aoi asked uneasily. Did Tsurugi have this weird, incurable disease that he was hiding? Maybe he was taking rehab from his obsessed urge to destroy soccer! Or, like Hayami-senpai and Hamano-senpai, who recently joined him, was taking therapy sessions for a different reason **(A/N: A reference to **_**A Glare Battle **_**by **_**AdventureWriter28. **_**Must-read!)**?

Ugh. The suspense was killing her.

"The suspense is killing me," She voiced out her thought as they exited the elevators. "Don't," Her companion said softly. The goosebumps were getting to her. "You're going to miss the best part." He smiled again, and this time, Aoi smiled back.

'_Wait! I still don't know if he's slightly deranged or something!'_

"We're here," Tsurugi said, and Aoi saw the happy glint in his eyes when he said it. Even though that was her first time seeing that kind of expression, she had already begun to like it. Maybe even more than she would admit. "Nii-san, I brought a visitor."

And that's when she finally started reading the pages of this unpredictable book called Tsurugi Kyousuke.

* * *

"Well, aren't you a darling," Tsurugi Yuuichi greeted her with a smile on his face, one that the younger Tsurugi had on his as well. "Tell me, what's Kyousuke like in school?"

"N-nii-san!" Now his face was reddening, Aoi noticed. How cute.

"Oh, but I have to know, after all. What am I going to tell Tenshi-chan when she asks?" Aoi felt a weird pang in her heart; she recognized that girl as the Tsurugis' childhood friend. "Just ask her how much pocky she wants me to get for her as a welcome-home gift. You know how gullible she is." There were so many sides, so many chapters, that Aoi had not seen nor read yet; this was the reason why she wanted to keep reading this Tsurugi Kyousuke book.

"Sorano-chan, thank you for taking care of Kyousuke. I was starting to fear that he was having trouble making friends again. Tenshi-chan isn't here, so he might have been struggling without her by his side." Yuuichi chuckled a bit as Tsurugi blushed even more.

* * *

"Nii-san, let me fluff your pillow for you," Aoi heard Kyousuke say as she answered her Biology homework. As she was scribbling for the past half hour, she was also listening to the blue-haired brothers' conversation. Not once did she hear any raised voices; only soft and affectionate ones— tones that Tsurugi had never been heard using outside the hospital. Among the clutter of binomial nomenclature notes and cell division papers, Aoi realized something ompletely irrelevant.

She was in the same room as the real Tsurugi Kyousuke. In the flesh.

And she liked it.

"Thanks," Tsurugi, without much thought, squeezed Sorano's hand in the elevator as they headed home. "For what?" Sorano wondered, feeling calloused yet warm fingers on her palm. "For agreeing to keep this a secret." He merely answered, and she was satisfied. She squeezed back his hand in a sign of comfort.

Sorano bookmarked this page— this moment, in her Tsurugi Kyousuke book. Never was she ever going to forget the feel of his hand.

And never would he with hers.

* * *

Ugh. 5 AM and I need sleep. =_=" Not that I'm blaming anybody, of course. On normal summer days I sleep as early as 3 or 4 AM. Teehee. :3

And that being said, you readers owe this sleep-deprived writer some reviews! So give 'em to meh! *u*

-AniMa


	4. Short is Cute, Tall is Hot

For Shiranai Atsune – sempai

Special dedication to ShadowCyclone! I dunno, as long as I write it doesn't matter if I'm half-asleep or not. :D And it's summer vacation at our place. I hope I haven't burdened your academics too much! D: Good luck, sempai!

Jer-bear! Tell me to stop including her. Waahh… I can't resist, dang it. And don't forget the letter! Or face the talons!

Disclaimer: I'm actually having a migraine just having to remind us on who doesn't own Inazuma. =.=

* * *

**4: Short is Cute, Tall is Hot**

_That's what she was, and that's what he'll always be._

"Air mail," Akane announced softly, as always. She was pushing a cart here and there, giving everyone their packages sent to the school address. As for Shindou's letters/fanmails/packages, most of which were secretly from the manager, Akane decided to give it to him last. Naughty girl.

"What's with the manga?" Aoi peeped at Tsurugi's package. There it was, the first five volumes of _Hiyokoi_, a shoujo about a short girl and a tall boy and their relationship.

'_Ichi-chan told me about your girl pal in school. He said you make her look adorably short. Teehee. –Gami'_

Tsurugi gave himself a mental facepalm.

"Hey, are you some sort of otaku or something?" Aoi tried her luck at gaining his attention again. "How far is Greece from Japan?" He asked her distractedly. "Seven hours away, with seven less GMT in Greece…why?"

"My best friend thought it funny to read this manga because of our height difference."

"But how does she know?"

"Nii-san told her, remember?" She saw him trying to hide an embarrassed blush. "But what I don't understand is—"

"How fast the package from Greece arrived in Japan?" Aoi straightened up in her spot beside him. He was surprised as to how she knew. "Don't you ever read about time zones?" Tsurugi gave her a hurt look, to which she merely laughed at. "Your secret—" As she decided to refer to Tsurugi's older brother, "—might have called her, at, say, five o'clock, wherein Greece at that time would be ten in the morning at the most. She probably took an hour or two to shop for that manga, and airmailed it at, an estimate, twelve noon, where it's seven at night here. In seven hours, it will have arrived in Japan, which would be at around two in the morning. But it's just a guess."

"A very intelligent guess." Tsurugi added pensively. "Are all short people this studious?" When Aoi was about to dismiss the compliment and change the topic, she realized another adjective Tsurugi had used on her. "This coming from a tall guy who tends to slack off, humph!" She crossed her arms and stood up, just to emphasize her words. Tsurugi stood up as well, and compared their height. Sorano only reached his lower eyelids, more or less.

"Shorty." He grinned playfully as he earned a pinch.

"There's nothing wrong with being short; in fact most short people are cute. Like Shinsuke!"

"I didn't say there was something wrong with it. I was just stating the obvious." To which Tsurugi felt another round of pinches from his short friend.

* * *

"Could you get extra towels in the storage room, Aoi-chan?" Midori requested as the managers counted the filled bottles and face towels they were to give to the players that afternoon. Little did the three girls know about Tsurugi's presence, the reason being another topic to talk about with Sorano.

Lately he'd been looking for her, and she, him.

'_This is the worst,'_ The blue haired manager thought as she stacked up a few more unused boxes in order to reach the shelf with the towels. _'Why did the towels have to be even at the topmost? I can already imagine Tsurugi's face if he sees me…Ugh! Why am I even thinking about him? Stupid guy keeps making fun of my height. I hope he gets brain damage from hitting too many low-lying lightbulbs.'_

And the next thing Aoi knew was that she was falling onto the ground, having mindlessly spaced out from thoughts about Tsurugi. Oh, hold on, that didn't come out right. Not that she would correct it anyway.

"And this is why there are tall people to save the day," Tsurugi held the curled-up girl in his arms as the fallen towels landed on his face. It would have been quite a sight if it hadn't been for the awkwardly-positioned fabrics. "You okay, Sorano?"

"Just this once," Aoi swallowed, still closing her eyes in a panic. "I will give in to your annoyingly tall self."

If Sorano had opened her eyes she would have seen just how red Tsurugi's face was.

* * *

"Tsurugi, you are late! Get to practice, you stalling vampire!" Midori yapped loudly as soon as her eyes focused on Aoi, innocently bringing the towels as requested, and Tsurugi, hands put in his pockets like always. "She called you a vampire," Aoi half-snickered, half-whispered. Tsurugi snickered back. "Because there are no such things as short vampires."

And before Aoi could give him a good pinching, Tsurugi had already— coolly— fled to the field.

'_If most short people are cute then why is it that it only proves true for one person?'_ Tsurugi thought as he passed the ball to Hikaru, as directed by Shindou's Kami no Takuto. _'Maybe it's because it'd be weird if I started thinking that my guy teammates are cute…'_

"Hey, shorty!" Aoi subconsciously looked at the only person who would call her that…and gave herself a facepalm. "You better prepare for Death Drop!" Tsurugi yelled at Shinsuke, and Aoi felt her face redden from embarrassment. _'Now I'm actually responding to Tsurugi calling me shorty…'_

* * *

For a while, Aoi peacefully watched Tsurugi playing on the field. For the past few days, he'd learned to loosen up in front of his teammates and even to some of the non-soccer players in school. It was quite the progress, actually.

"You like him, don't you?"

"Eh? Huh? What?" Aoi snapped back to wherever she was supposed to be. Akane and Midori stood at her side. "Tsurugi. You like him, right?" Midori asked again as Akane quietly praised her Shin-sama's Fortissimo. "No, that's not it," Aoi laughed, but Midori was persistent. "Then why were you looking at him with sparkly heart-eyes then?"

"Oh, come on, senpai. Just because you won't tease me with Tenma anymore, doesn't mean you pair me with Tsurugi."

"Explain yourself and your ogle-eyes, then."

"I was just thinking about how Tsurugi's been making more friends nowadays, and I don't even have to be there to help him," Aoi explained nonchalantly; it was true, after all. "Well…fine, you guys may not look like it yet, but you two are _so_ going to end up together or something." Akane answered before Midori could.

"What something?" Now it was Tsurugi asking before Aoi could. "Ugh. You stink!" Aoi immediately grabbed a towel and threw it at the tall boy's face.

"I'm impressed. You can reach my face even while sitting!"

"You're not exactly a giraffe, you know." Aoi said as she handed him and Shinsuke a bottle of water each. "Yeah, I know," Tsurugi answered before drinking the bottle. "Oh. One more thing," Said the blue-haired boy as he leaned down to Aoi's level. "I hope you don't ever grow." He grinned at her surprised gasp.

'_Because short is cute and that's what you are.'_

* * *

SHOOT! 11:59 PM by the time I finished the story part! I could've updated two chappies in one day! Rawr. Well, I got sick tonight, while watching Ironman 3…ugh. I might have to really sleep early.

As I write, my body temperature is going up. And that's not a good thing. But no worries! Sick or healthy, I always write for my readers! *w*

-AniMa


	5. Arms, Hands and Fingers

For Shiranai Atsune – sempai

I hope you're not too worried about me; my parents are watching over anyway. :3 And also, I will remove my OC here. Ugh, I'm annoying, aren't I? D:

Ack! Jer-bear help me get rid of Gami-chan or so help me I will whack you with talons! And also the kami-tachi have not finished their punishment on me, duh. I've been getting more asthma attacks to the point that I couldn't sleep without having anxiety attacks. Therefore I managed a good 4 hours of sleep only. :D

This one's the full chappie title, by the way. I did not know there was a character limit. O.O

Disclaimer: Nobody's giving ice cream, and so I will demand for a respiratory-problem-fighting immune system.

* * *

**5: Strong Arms, Delicate Hands and Frivolous Fingers**

_The most affectionate kind of communication there is._

"Would you ever play thumb wrestling with me?"

"Sure."

"What about janken?"

"I don't see why not."

Ah, yes. Another day started out with a not-so regular conversation between two blue-haired teens, one short girl and one tall boy. It was the weekend, and Tsurugi and Aoi had decided to walk together after accidentally seeing the other person at a sundae shop to Saturday practice.

"Then…arm wrestling?"

"With _you_?" Tsurugi almost choked on his saliva. "That's a huge no."

Aoi was making a face. "You would play thumb wrestling and janken with me, but not arm wrestling? Enlighten me on why you wouldn't." The real answer was because Tsurugi was afraid he would break Sorano's arm. He'd seen enough _Top 20 Most_ videos to prove that in arm wrestling; even a strong person's arm can be dislocated.

But of course, Tsurugi was ever so enigmatic.

"Because I could easily beat you, three out of five." He answered without pause. Aoi crossed her arms and mocked a small laugh. "How can you say that when you even rejected my offer to play with you?" That being said, Tsurugi gave her a bewildered look. Aoi repeated her words in her head until she understood why Tsurugi was blushing like mad. "I-I mean arm wrestle! Oh my kami, what were you thinking?" She pinched his arm in an effort to calm herself, but both adolescents' faces remained flushed.

* * *

"One, two, three, four; I declare a thumb war. Four, three, two, one; who will be the strongest thumb?" Tsurugi and Aoi recited as they tackled each other's thumbs in an attempt to subdue the other.

"Other than to pass time, why exactly are we playing thumb wrestling?" Tsurugi yawned as his thumb easily pinned the smaller girl's own, and she struggled to free itself to no avail. "Because if I win, that means you have to play arm wrestling with me."

"This coming from the girl whose thumb is still pinned after ten counts."

"Ugh, rematch!" Aoi squeaked miserably. Both she and Tsurugi had equal tallies on their scoresheet again.

_Thumb Wrestling Scores:_

_Tsurugi - ||||_

_Aoi - ||||_

Either Aoi would win the supposed-to-be-if-it-weren't-for-the-ties two out of three games and get her arm wrestling game, or Tsurugi would dominate, and she would have to ask for more rematches. While thinking to herself about it, Tsurugi had her thumb pinned again, and she squirmed, both she and her thumb, to get out, to which she succeeded. "Almost." Tsurugi teased as he rested his chin on his free palm. "Don't get too brash; I still have a cha—"

Her thumb was pinned again. And Tsurugi was counting slowly, just to mock her.

"Three…four…five…" He declaimed with a smirk as Aoi continued to wriggle her poor thumb about. "D'you know my thumb is taller than yours? Seven…eight…" Tsurugi added pressure every four counts to make sure she couldn't writhe free. "You're still not over the height thing? You are so m—"

Tsurugi released Aoi's temporarily whitened thumb quietly.

"I win, and no more rematches," The pale boy stood up slowly and exited the clubroom. Aoi was left speechless as she massaged her finger, and Hikaru came out of his hiding spot and made the final count. "Hikaru-kun, do you think Tsurugi's mad at me because I wasted his time?" Aoi asked cautiously. Hikaru smiled a very small smile.

"I think he just couldn't control his self after holding your hand for so long."

* * *

"Janken! Two out of three!" Aoi popped randomly beside Tsurugi as he strolled around Inazuma Town that same day. "You're really pumped up for this, aren't you?" He quirked an eyebrow warily. _'At least we don't have to hold hands in this game…'_ Basically, that was what the both of them were thinking. "Two out of three. No more, okay?" Aoi promised him, still not believing what Hikaru had said to her earlier, but unknowingly having this small hope that he was sort of right.

If Sorano was serious about playing rock-paper-scissors/janken with him, wouldn't she have played a bit less obviously? Tsurugi allowed a five out of seven match with her after he easily figured her out in the first three.

'_If she puts her non-playing hand in a fist: rock. If the hand is a thumb-up: scissors. If her hand is outstretched: paper. What a fatuous girl.'_ He analyzed amusingly as they shook their fists and—

"My first win! I have one point!" Aoi squealed excitedly as she bragged about her scissors to his paper. "You found a pattern within my plays and used it against me," Tsurugi lauded her. _'While I was focusing on her pattern, she was concentrating on mine, which was loosely patterned after hers,'_

"Impressive." He voiced out.

* * *

In the end, it was still Tsurugi who came out as the victor. "Then…tell me why you won't arm wrestle with me?" Aoi pleaded again because it was then that she knew that Tsurugi was hiding something, whatever it could have been. Tsurugi gave her a questioning look to which Aoi responded with an even more tantalizing pout. "And you have to tell me the truth, okay?" The conflicted Tsurugi managed a grunt as a reply. "I'm just bothered about the possibility of you breaking your arm or something worse all because of a game. I've been on the field long enough to prove it, Sorano."

"You're worried about me?"

"I specifically said 'bothered'. And I was referring to the situation."

"Then we'll change the game. But it's sorta like arm wrestling!"

"Since I don't see the harm in it yet, what is it?"

"It's simple," Aoi said without thinking. Or maybe it was something else talking for her. "The first person to let go has to play arm wrestling with the winner! Deal?"

"I can't believe you're still not over this…Deal." Tsurugi was eyeing Sorano's pumped-up behavior. She was behaving strangely like Matsukaze now. "So what's the game?"

"Arm link!" Aoi grinned. Tsurugi felt his cheeks heat up. "Do you realize what kind of game this is?"

"A made-up one, duh. Now will you quit and let me have my arm wrestle match?"

'_Now or never.' _The duo thought to themselves. Oho, so there was an ulterior motive?

So Tsurugi wrung his arm around Sorano's slim one and as a bonus, interlaced his pale fingers with the blue-haired girl's idle ones. Aoi relaxed hers around his as well; not once had she complained. They continued walking to Kami-knows-where as they played their little 'game'.

Could you have guessed who let go first?

* * *

Nyan nyan! Here's chappie 5! And health news, buddies! I still have respiratory problems and a runny nose. Jer-bear! I finally got the letter! I love the penguin! X3

Readers, please do review. :3

-AniMa


	6. Breaking Legs

For Shiranai Atsune – sempai

Remember when I said 10 Chappies? We're already halfway through! Yay! :3 And I already have an idea on your FubuYusa request! 10 Chappies too! :D Thanks for reviewing every chapter, sempai-sama! TwT

Ah! Jer-bear! I dunno what to do with your Sleeping Beauty idea! D: And by the way, I remembered almost all of the drawings you made. Love the Krista-torture part. :P

Disclaimer: Okay, people from Level 5. We're poor, we get it. Stop rubbing it in.

* * *

**6: Breaking Legs**

_Is either a good or a bad thing._

Early in the morning, Sorano Aoi was already sprinting in school halls. If Natsumi had still been a junior high student, she would've given the blue-haired girl a one-way ticket to detention or something of the sort.

Now why was the freshman running?

"_Ao-chan, wake up already!" A woman shook the bed covers. "You'll be late for school! What are you even fantasizing about that's more important than studies?" Aoi attempted to shake off her mother's irksome nagging, particularly because she was having such a wonderful dream that wasn't exactly a dream. It only happened two days ago._

_So Tsurugi wrung his arm around Sorano's slim one and as a bonus, interlaced his pale fingers with the blue-haired girl's idle ones. Aoi relaxed hers around his as well; not once had she complained. They continued walking to Kami-knows-where as they played their little 'game'._

"_I think he just couldn't control his self after holding your hand for so long."_

So now you know why.

"No running in the halls!" A student barked as Aoi ran past him. "Sorry!" Her voice trailed off as she made a sharp right to the corridor. And just this once, the blue-eyed girl really did feel sorry.

"Oh my gosh, I'm so sorry!" A second-year shrieked as Aoi tried to stand up from slipping on the wet floor. "Are you okay? Can you walk?" The student carefully supported Aoi's weight as two more pupils rushed in to help.

And yet, that wasn't even necessary.

"Let me take her to the infirmary," A deep yet gentle voice said as Aoi felt herself being lifted off the damp ground. That voice sounded awfully familiar, too. "Are you sure you'll be alright?" Another male voice, possibly the one who tried to help Sorano up, questioned warily. "She won't if you keep stalling me." The same voice answered with a hint of rudeness. Aoi felt a soft vibration coming from a comfortable surface when the voice answered. The injured girl kept her eyes closed and leaned on the person's chest.

She knew that voice.

* * *

"Put. Me. Down. Tsurugi!"

Aoi was practically heating up all over from embarrassment. When she awoke a few halls later, she realized she was being carried bridal-style by Tsurugi as he searched for the clinic. Why did the school have to be so big?

"Good idea. Did I forget to tell you that you sprained your ankle?"

"WHAT?" Now she was really freaking out. "Hey, what did I tell you about crinkling your eyes?" Tsurugi only needed one glance at her huge orbs to remind her of that conversation from not too long ago. Aoi exhaled sharply in his arms. "Do _not_ get me started on that," She threatened before reverting back to a worrywart. "How bad is it? My sprain?"

"How bad do you think sprains are, Sorano?"

"…Super…?"

* * *

"It'll heal in less than a week, at most, Sorano-chan," The nurse said as she finished putting a small cast on the injured girl's right foot. "Where's Tsurugi, Fuyuka-san?" Aoi asked when she noticed the pale boy's absence in the room. The violet-haired adult smiled towards the sliding curtain that had been pulled out earlier. "He came here with a rampant fever." She said quietly. It was a good thing Fuyuka visited the school on that certain day.

"_Are you sure you'll be alright?" Another male voice, possibly the one who tried to help Sorano up, questioned warily._

Tsurugi had a fever, and yet he managed to carry Aoi to the infirmary.

"I must take a short leave," Fuyuka stood and cleaned up the two blue-haired teens' cubicles. "If you need anything, just press the button over there and someone will come for you." She pointed to the pager on the wall as Aoi nodded helplessly. As soon as Fuyuka left, Aoi attempted to get off her bed to check on her temporary roommate.

"Don't even think about it."

Tsurugi slid the curtain away to show the girl he was fine. He was lying on the bed, with one arm supporting his head. "You had a fever and you still went to school?" Aoi sat up instead, not daring to make a move. "I had a fever when I went to school," He corrected her as he sat up as well. "And it's not that big of a deal…compared to your foot anyway."

He got off his bed and sat on the stool that Fuyuka had been in a while ago. "What are you doing?" Aoi asked suspiciously as Tsurugi suddenly grabbed her cast. "H-Hey!"

"Relax, shorty," He grinned deviously at Aoi's cute but angry face. "I'm just going to sign your cast." Oddly enough, he didn't even care if he called Sorano cute or whatever. To him it was true anyway. Aoi shifted herself to a position where she'd be most comfortable with, and that was to face Tsurugi, who already had a pen in hand.

* * *

"Is Aoi-chan coming to afternoon practice, Midori-chan?" Akane asked nervously. Their classmate had told them about a first-year slipping outside their classroom, and someone who suspiciously looked like he had a fever bringing her to the infirmary that morning. "I don't really know. You think we should see who the first year was, just in case?" Midori turned to see Akane already trailing after the conversing Kirino and Shindou.

"…Guess not."

* * *

"Do you still get leg sprains when you're not on the field, Tsurugi?" Aoi was still sitting at the side of her bed, and Tsurugi was still on the stool adjacent to her.

"Not as often as I do on the field."

"I do remember having to take care of everyone's foot injuries. Yours is always the nastiest." To put more emphasis on her words, Aoi stuck out her tongue and made a face. Tsurugi stretched out his arms and pulled on Sorano's cheeks. "Aces are always being targeted, after all. And if you don't stop making those weird faces—"

"Haw you evern recuhved fum your fever?" **(A/N: Translation: "Have you even recovered from your fever?")** Aoi managed to say as she touched Tsurugi's forehead. Having made an effort to bend over just to check the ex-SEED's temperature, it was too late when she realized she was falling off the edge of her bed.

And straight onto Tsurugi's lap.

Instinctively, Tsurugi lurched forward in pain, only to hit his passenger's forehead. "Ow!" They both cried, and stopped at the same time when they realized the situation they were in. "M-Maybe…I should get off…" Aoi began as she used Tsurugi's knee to push herself up, only to slip back on his lap. Tsurugi held Sorano's wrist; both of them were redder than Ishido Shuuji's clothes. "T-Tsuru—"

"And maybe…you shouldn't."

And as he leaned forward for a kiss, with her just mirroring his actions—

_Knock, knock!_

* * *

Aw, shoot. I suck at cliffhangers and almost-kissing scenes! Whatever, everyone who reads must review! BWAHAHAHAHA! *coughs* Don't worry, I'm taking medications. :-bd

-AniMa


	7. Tingly Twinkle Toes

For Shiranai Atsune – sempai

Sempai-sama! Please stop fainting! There's still so much KyouAoi to read! :D

Hey, I just realized the dedication on each chapter would be so useless if you change your penname. :))

Jer-bear! Jer-bear! Jer-bear! Have you read this? Have ya? Have ya? O.O"

Disclaimer: Ugu. I want a brownie…

* * *

**7: Tingly Twinkle Toes**

_Applicable to dancing and tealnets._

_Knock, knock!_

And to think he could've already reveled in her mint breath.

Hastily as the two teens could, Aoi miraculously got back on her bed and Tsurugi made a leap for his cubicle. "Come in!" The duo ordered in unison as soon as they got back to place. It was Tenma who entered. "You two okay now?" He asked worriedly as he saw his childhood friend's signed cast and his stoic friend's heated face. Tsurugi grunted as a reply before sliding the curtain to his cubicle. He didn't feel like talking or doing anything after that…ruined moment.

"What's in your hand, Tenma?" Aoi wondered as soon as she sat up. The brunette finally reverted moods. "Endou kantoku invited us for a formal dinner," He announced, just loud enough for the pale boy in the next stall to hear him. "It's his first year anniversary with his wife! He says we absolutely have to come."

"Kantoku has a wife?" Tsurugi and Aoi chorused, amazed, once more. Once they acknowledged the other's voice, Aoi turned back to Tenma and Tsurugi slid back his curtain. The Matsukaze took no notice.

"Yeah! Even I was pretty shocked when I heard about it. And if you need to know the details you can ask Kidou kantoku or Otonashi-san. Or you refer to your invitations; Shinsuke and I put them in your shoe lockers, by the way." He answered cheerfully.

* * *

As Fuyuka had promised, Aoi's foot injury had healed five days before the formal dinner the whole team was invited to.

"I don't know how to dance," She confessed to Tsurugi for no reason. The pale boy raised an eyebrow in response, unsure of what to answer to the sudden statement. "I don't think you necessarily have to, especially after recovering from a foot injury."

"Oh my Kami, Tsurugi. Have you even opened your invitation?" Aoi was exasperated.

"I'm not coming. Duh."

"And yet you're _obliged_ to. Duh!"

"…Wait. I didn't read the invite."

The blue-eyed girl facepalmed herself.

* * *

"Now that you're reading your invite— which was handed to you _five days ago_— you have to help me look for a dress," Aoi started as Tsurugi carefully read his newly-opened invitation. "And the reason why you're going to help me is because I'm going to help you look for a tux." Tsurugi neatly folded the letter back in the envelope. "Can't you just borrow or something? I'm planning to rummage through otoo-san's wardrobe when I get home." Aoi stopped in her tracks and turned to face her companion. She could feel her toes curling up in her shoes. "My mom wants me to buy a new dress, okay? And Akane-sempai and Midori-sempai already finished their shopping so I don't want to bother them! You, meanwhile, are being offered some help with tux-hunting here and all you tell me is—"

"Alright, alright; I'm sorry," Tsurugi chuckled as he clamped his hand over the ranting girl's mouth. "Let's start with your dress, little Miss Two Left Feet." He teased her, remembering her sudden confession a short while ago. "As if you can dance…" He heard her mutter. He smirked victoriously. "As a matter of fact, I can." Aoi was dumbstruck as they entered a small shop. "Since when?" She scoffed disbelievingly.

"That's a secret." He smirked to himself as he added two more dresses to Sorano's choices. _'She wouldn't believe me if I told her it was part of my training as a SEED.'_

"Okay then," Aoi slid open the dressing room curtain to reveal herself in a shoulder-puffed ankle-length dress. Tsurugi flashed a thumb down to her dismay. "For the remaining five days, you teach me how to dance. Then maybe I will believe your dancing skills." She came out again with a halter neck dress, and Tsurugi disapproved. "Remind me to pray to Kami before every lesson," Was all he said in a monotonous tone as he watched a saleslady pick up Sorano's rejected outfits. "For what?" This time, Aoi's bubble dress had the sleeves giving a generous view of her shoulders. A black fabric hugged her waist and the whole thing covered just below her knees. Instead of saying what was initially on his mind, which was that she wouldn't step on his feet, Tsurugi gave her a small but cheeky smile for the dress.

"For me to focus on your teaching and not your distracting beauty."

* * *

"It's only been the second day and you're already doing great," Tsurugi lauded his dancing partner as they waltzed to the soft music in the room. "Thanks." Aoi managed to say as she only looked at Tsurugi— as instructed— without making a mistake. She felt a tingly sensation in her toes as her brain finally acknowledged Tsurugi's hands on her other hand and waist.

The tingly feeling intensified.

During their break, Tsurugi immediately got on the phone with his brother as Aoi tried to catch her breath. Sure, she may have been improving, but that wasn't the case. Because it was a general rule to only face your dance partner when dancing, she felt herself drowning in Tsurugi's intense but gentle orange eyes; it was like basking in the sun. So she held her breath, worried if she would say something silly that would make him tease her. The eye-crinkling thing was already enough to send electricity all over her.

* * *

"This amount of time spent with Sorano-chan, and you claim to have no feelings for her?" Tsurugi Yuuichi questioned suspiciously over the phone. His hospital buddy, Taiyou, was enjoying a rerun of _Kamisama no Karute_ on TV.

"_Nii-san, we're just friends," _Tsurugi explained on the phone as he secretly thanked Kami that Yuuichi couldn't see his pink face. _"And besides, it's not like she'd be interested in someone rude like me—"_

"Nonsense, Churugi!" Taiyou interrupted him cheerily. "When that girl visited Tsurugi-san a few weeks ago, she never stopped talking about you! And with sparkly heart eyes too!" He exclaimed happily as Yuuichi struggled to muffle his laughs. Taiyou had so much positive vibes in him it was impossible not to be affected by it.

"_Amemiya Taiyou, I swear to Kami if you call me that horrid name again I will bout you with numerous Death Drop attacks and take you off life support right after."_

"Relax, Kyousuke," Yuuichi dominated the phone again as Taiyou wept comically in the background. "Girls like the bad boy type, right?"

"_She's not like the cliché kind of girl you see on TV, nii-san…she's what she is. She's special and beautiful and herself in a way that always amazes you."_

"Do you realize how sappy and uncharacteristic you sound already, my dear brother?" Yuuichi was chuckling openly now. Tsurugi was red from his face down to his toes. _"It's because we're talking about her! It's not my fault she caught my eye and you and Ame-baka make me talk about her!"_

"I wuv you too, Churugi!" Taiyou answered despite the insult. When Tsurugi hung up on him, he and Tsurugi-san couldn't stop grinning about the ex-SEED's last words.

"_Sorry, Amemiya. I'm into someone else."_

* * *

"You ready, Sorano?" Tsurugi asked as the tealnet female fixed a one-flowered collar on her neck. "For embarrassment and future blackmail? Unfortunately." Aoi answered as Tsurugi fixed his neck tie. "Don't worry. If you embarrass yourself, I'll be humiliated too." He assured her as they stepped into the ballroom, ready to dance for the sake of Endou kantoku and his wife, Natsumi-san's first year anniversary celebration.

The tingle in her toes was electricity in his body.

* * *

UGGGGG late update. I fell asleep during my spare time and I had to practice my piano piece too. Then I still had to make a storyboard for Jer-bear's belated birthday present, although I haven't finished that one either. :D

But here it is! Chapter 7! Nearing the ending! And still not much reviews, no? D':

-AniMa


	8. Use Your Brain to Follow Your Heart

For Shiranai Atsune - sempai

Special dedication to **HachimitsuOukan **- sempai and **ShadowCyclone** – sempai! Thank you for caring about my health (almost like my mom too)! I'm already getting better! :3 And also, I'm not a Kirino-Midori fan. That was plain coincidence. :D Oh! And Ironman 3 was really awesome! I hoped you watched it already! :3 And ermaigerd, you guys. Who doesn't love Taiyou! xD

Jer-bear. OMG my Sleeping Beauty cast is AWESOME. ;)

Disclaimer: I don't own Inazuma, and I don't own the reviews I get. But I own the love I'm giving out to you guys! X)

* * *

**8: Use Your Brain to Follow Your Heart**

_Think straight and break the rules._

Beautiful.

That's what she was, and always be.

'_No, stop,'_ Tsurugi shook his head mentally as he spun Sorano around with his outstretched hand. _'You gotta focus on the dance. Otherwise, you'll be embarrassing her on her first formal.'_ So, despite the ex-SEED's struggle to concentrate on his dancing, he knew it was a futile effort the moment he eyed Sorano's pink face. "Better not develop a third left foot, Sorano," He teased, just to rid himself of the nervousness he felt around the latter. She scowled amusedly. "The same applies to you, teacher."

* * *

Tsurugi was never fond of ballroom dancing, even when the footwork and choreography helped in his SEED training. The moment the song ended, and he and Aoi decided to split, he made a beeline for the fresh air outside.

"Hello?"

"_You're slower than a crossbred turtle-snail, you know that?" _It was Amemiya, but not the usual Amemiya; he sounded serious and direct to the point. "What do you want? And no, you can't have either my best friend or my brother."

"_We'll talk about that some other time. At the moment, don't you think this formal is the best time to confess to Sorano-san?"_

"Why are you nosing in on my business?"

"_You nosed in on mine when I was wondering who Tenma-kun was. I'm repaying you because I'm kind."_ Taiyou dramatically said with much emphasis on the last five words. _"Also because Churugi really likes her, doesn't he?"_

"S-shut up."

* * *

"You were great out there, Aoi," Midori said as soon as she and Akane were within earshot. "Especially with Tsurugi as your partner too!" The fiery haired manager grinned mischievously as Akane giggled silently behind her. Aoi couldn't hide the blush travelling all over her face. "Admit it already, Aoi!" Midori quickly grabbed her kouhai's wrists and looked her in the eyes.

"I took pictures of you and Tsurugi-kun dancing, Aoi-chan," Akane smiled as she navigated through her Shindou archives. "You two really stood out, you know." When the brunette manager finally found the pictures, she and Midori couldn't help but share happy giggles.

And there it was, a picture of her and Tsurugi in their dance. Her arms were relaxed around his neck, as was his interlocked fingers on her waist. She wouldn't want to admit it to herself, but Midori-senpai and Akane-senpai were right about her expression. She was practically glowing, but that wasn't she was admiring.

It was _him_.

He was just…perfect.

And that's when it hit her.

* * *

"_Hey, hey, Churugi," _The apparent owner of the name sighed. Tsurugi decided to let the orangehead off the hook. _"Since you're, like, in love with someone, you think that all you have to do now is follow your heart, right? Like Mulan! 'My duty is to my heart'. Right? Right?"_

"…What's your point, Captain Sheng?"

"_That you should still think before making a move. Fall in love, all you want, but you still gotta think straight."_

"Is that all?"

"_I'm trying to be a helpful love guru, here, geez!" _Amemiya let out an incensed whiff of air out. _"But whatever. Tonight's the perfect night, just saying!"_ Immediately, the hospital patient hung up, momentarily puzzling Tsurugi.

Until Aoi showed up behind him, of course.

* * *

"Tsurugi?"

He spun around to meet his caller's eyes. She was beautiful, he knew it; it would be stupid not to look at her. "What is it?" Aoi approached him quietly as she closed the door behind her. "You've been hiding here for how many minutes now; I thought you were sick." Helpfully, she handed him a fruit drink which he took gratifyingly. "I'm not into dancing and balls, Sorano." He explained to her as they both stood side by side. "And why do you care so much?"

This caught the blue-haired girl by surprise. "W-well, that's what friends do, after all."

"And is that all you think of me?"

"Only if you feel the same way," She sipped a bit of her drink. "As emotionally upsetting as it sounds." She forced a small laugh, just to relax herself from an indirect confession. Tsurugi grabbed the surprised girl's hand. "But that's not how I feel or think about you, Sorano."

"Well, judging from how you wanted to kiss me back at the clinic, I guess I never should've doubted my thoughts."

Tsurugi chuckled and drew the short girl closer. "I thought all short people were smart." Aoi smiled at the tall boy in front of her. "Oh, they are," She said with a hint of amusement. "It's just that when they're with someone they like so much, everything just gets so much harder, you know?"

And just for her, Tsurugi puts on a cheeky smile.

"Touché."

* * *

Hey gaaaaise! Next chappie will get you KyouAoi fans squealing! I can't say the same for myself; I still have phlegm in my system so I think I'll just grin like a maniac instead. :))

Reviews! Reviews, everyone! Do it for the nonexistent children! :P

Oh wow, I haven't even reached half of page 3 and I've already ended my story. :O It's a pretty short chapter, apparently. :D

Jer-beaaaaaar. I deleted my Wattpad account, by the way. My stories are fugly. :(

-AniMa


	9. Muffled Mouths and Locked Lips

For Shiranai Atsune – sempai

Like **ShadowCyclone**– sempai suggested, I checked the latest stories being posted. And OMG **Shiranai Atsune** – sempai – sama requested so much KyouAoi from different authors! xD

Jer-bear. I'm SO tempted to put Gami in! You haven't texted me for the past few days either. T.T I'm sorry Okinaru-sama! Thankfully the pills are really effective! :D

Disclaimer: If I owned Inazuma Eleven, I'd keep Taiyou, Kyousuke and Yuuichi to myself. I was never one who shares. ;P

* * *

**9: Muffled Mouths and Locked Lips**

_Cause sometimes, talking is overrated._

Still, he didn't- wouldn't- acknowledge the fact that he loved her.

It was his first time, and to him, actions still spoke louder than words, even though they were easily misunderstood too.

And as for her, she understood. Tsurugi had a hard time expressing himself, and she didn't mind. To her, words could never match the impact actions had.

Besides, they were both first-timers in this dating thing. There was a lot to learn.

But that was all you needed to know about that wonderful night at the formal. The next few days were much more interesting.

* * *

"They say you two are official now," Midori chirped nonchalantly in her seat as she filed her nails. "Is it true?" She and Akane inquired again immediately as Aoi joined their little circle in the clubroom. Apparently, ever since she and Tsurugi never returned to the party, that telltale Kariya began making up stories of the duo eloping or something of the sort. He was going to suffer Tsurugi's wrath for it.

"Up to you." Aoi answered knowingly with a huge smile on her face; it was the brightest one in days. As soon as she said so, Tsurugi had just entered the clubroom. Having heard the conversation from outside, he clamped his hand over the blue-haired girl's mouth. "I took care of Kariya." He told her quietly, albeit the rest of the team, save for the poor victim, heard.

Everyone had a mix of expressions as Tsurugi kissed the top of his girl's head before getting to his business.

* * *

"So, how did you two, like, get together?"

"_Amemiya."_

"Yes, Churugi, my source of unrequited wuv?"

"_We…skipped the confessing part."_

Nurse Fuyuka barely had time to bring out the trash can when Taiyou suddenly spat out his breakfast. "Taiyou-kun!" She scolded the hospital patient, but he was busy reprimanding his blue-haired frenemy over the phone. "What is wrong with you? What do you want me to tell Tsurugi-san, huh?"

"_Relax, you noisy baka!" _Tsurugi felt himself redden with embarrassment. _"We're—"_

"You mean 'you're'," Amemiya chided like an airhead would. Tsurugi scowled.

"—_Planning to make it official today. Y'know, word out what we want to say."_

"Well, I guess that's okay too…so if you two didn't confess to each other that night, what _were_ you doing?"

Unknowingly, it was an effective way of silencing Tsurugi.

* * *

"You ready?" Aoi asked as she held a small folded piece of paper in between shaky fingers. Just like Tsurugi, her face was flushed; he was holding a paper too. "Ladies first." He teased his unofficial girlfriend as they hid at Endou's old training place. The tire was still there, as if someone had just used it.

"This is embarrassing, y'know."

"I know."

"But there's no denying it. It's the truth. I'm in love with the short-haired, blue-eyed, short-statured, two-left-footed Sorano Aoi." His face was probably redder than Joan River's lipstick now, but Aoi didn't fare any better. She felt her heart threatening to leap out of her ribcage.

"And I'd rather simply say that talking is overrated," Tsurugi was surprised at the sudden statement when Sorano shortened the distance between them in small, tantalizing strides. "Sorano—"

And it was on that day, Sorano Aoi proved to Tsurugi Kyousuke that actions did speak louder than words.

* * *

After muffling the surprised boy's mouth with her own, she broke the kiss for breath. "See?" Aoi asked breathlessly as she held on to Tsurugi's violet cape. "This is more than enough proof of my secret growing crush on you ever since you introduced me to your brother—"

"Which developed into feelings of infatuation," Tsurugi smirked with flushed cheeks.

"—That were returned by the one I love and loves me back too—" Aoi felt an oncoming barrage of kisses as Tsurugi drew her closer to him. "—So let me get to the point of this sort-of confession," She stopped his lips from attacking her with her finger on it. "I love you, Tsurugi Kyousuke. Now kiss me."

And gladly, he did.

* * *

Well of course, as quickly as days passed, the secretly dating tealnets were soon discovered. First by the nosy tealnet Kariya, then best friend and self-proclaimed wingman Tenma, and then Shinsuke because he was the wingman's best friend, and then everything else— as troublesome as Tsurugi found it— followed after.

"If it isn't my favorite couple!" Taiyou greeted as the hospital door slid open. "Where's Tsurugi-san?" Aoi asked when she noticed it was the orangehead on the bed that didn't belong to him. "He has a visitor, don't worry, Churugi." Taiyou answered as he hopped off the bed and out of Tsurugi Yuuichi's hospital room, leaving the blue-haired couple alone.

* * *

"Is he always like that?" Aoi managed in between laughing fits. Tsurugi only responded by coiling his arm around her waist as they walked towards the hospital window. "I can ask you the same thing about Matsukaze, you know." Aoi smiled against the crook of his neck, where her forehead lay.

"I love you," She whispered softly, just for the sake of saying it; it was true after all. Tsurugi interlaced his fingers around hers and kissed the back of her hand before moving onto her nose. "I know. I love you too."

And, even when a relationship was healthy, there were the hormones to watch out for.

It wasn't anyone's actions to blame for; it was the natural flow of things. And besides, whenever Tsurugi kissed her in the nose like that, it was an invitation for a small exchange of kisses to an embarrassing all-out make-out session— and of course there were limits, you imaginative reader!

But those regulations proved a challenge to Tsurugi, especially when his short girlfriend wore either school skirts or shorts, and when her skin always looked that enticing— you get the point. He was still a boy, no matter how much one looked at it.

In the middle of their kissing session by the windowsill, the hospital door slid open. Just on the other side of the room were three people. One of them was most particularly pleased with the sight.

Even if that sight was a really aggressive Tsurugi Kyousuke and a flushed Sorano Aoi.

"Oh, my."

* * *

Nyehehehehe sorry guys, my OC has to come in one last time. And I really suck at kissing scenes, mainly because my first kiss was stolen by my cousin-neighbor's dog, so yeah. I could say "he licked her lips and the rest of her face like a cat would clean her kitten", but that just sounds so wrong. Haha. :))

Liked it? Too OOC? Blame it on Jer-bear! (I always do)

Reviews please! :3

-AniMa


	10. Head Over Heels

For Shiranai Atsune – sempai

Last chappie everyone! Huzzah! (At least for me and Jer-bear)

Jer-bear. I friggin' swear to Kami you don't even read my friggin' author's note. I will shoot you. :*

Disclaimer: Nyahaha I'd personally omit Aoi and Kinako out of the series if I owned it. ;P

* * *

**10: Head Over Heels**

_Because falling in love is only human._

While Taiyou was leaning coolly by the door, Yuuichi had a small smile on his features as he rested on wheelchair, and as for the third person, her arms encircled around the Tsurugi elder's neck. She had this playful expression on her face: a stuck out tongue, the smiling mouth and a mischievous wink.

Aoi realized that orange-haired female with the dazzlingly navy blue eyes was the Tsurugis' family friend. Childhood best friend. Somewhere between those words.

"Oh my," Mamori Gami mused outside the hospital room. She returned to Greece just before Teikoku's second trimester began, and the first people she wanted to see were the first people she always thought about. "Suke-chan, I didn't know you were the aggressive type."

"'Suke-chan'?" Taiyou laughed at his possible doppelgänger's name for Tsurugi. "We should really talk more. Specifically about Churugi's personal life, Miss Amemiya."

"You're back already?" Tsurugi cut in the conversation, making Aoi feel a little too uncomfortable for her liking. "Sorry to pop in while you were in action, Suke-chan," The shorter-than-Aoi-by-a-few-millimeters laughed heartily. "But my best friend found himself a girlfriend without my professional wingmanning. And besides, auntie said she couldn't leave Fudou-san too long because Kami knows what he'll do to her if she does."

Tsurugi sighed and wrapped his arms protectively around Aoi again. Secretly, she felt like she was in a competition for Tsurugi's affections with the childhood best friend. At the moment, she was winning and liking it.

* * *

They'll approve if he will.

"Do you love him?" Gami asked as soon as she and Aoi left the three boys to the cafeteria. It was a sudden question, and yet straight to the point. "Of course." The blue-haired freshman answered with ease. "Good. That's all the assurance I need." The girl with orange locks grinned widely at her best friend's girlfriend. Aoi felt guilty for her earlier thoughts on the competition thing.

"Taiyou-kun's calling for me," Gami said as soon as she checked her phone. "I'd love to stick around and chat with my future best-friend-in-law, but I'm pretty sure she and her boyfriend would rather have some quality time!" She grinned as Aoi tried to contain her blush.

* * *

"Relax, Sorano. It's only human to feel jealous and be in love."

That was all Tsurugi said when Aoi admitted the slight jealousy she had about Gami's closeness with him. "And Tenshi-chan doesn't bear grudges. She's a gullible, pure-hearted idiot. But nii-san and I love her that way."

'_Love her,'_ Aoi thought. And to think she was already getting over her jealousy. _'He said love so easily.'_

"And if you're thinking why I can easily say I do love my best friend is because she's a sister to me. But that's all there is to it. Sorano, if you really were my sister I'd be willing to be in a forbidden incestuous relationship with you." This made the girl laugh at the odd compliment. "I would definitely do the same."

* * *

"We should really write a nonfictional story about this," Amemiya said as he put down his food on the table where he, Tsurugi-san and Gami sat at. "And I'm serious. I think I know a good author to manipulate another author into writing about this." Yuuichi gave Amemiya a wary look. "You're actually really engrossed about them, aren't you?"

"I second the motion!" Gami squealed excitedly beside the latter. "Well, Miss Amemiya. Other than Churugi Suke-chan's personal and embarrassing life, we should _really_ hang out more." Taiyou said as he fixed his spikes into an Elvis style that lasted two seconds before booming back to its usual sun 'do. Gami laughed at the hair thing, but Yuuichi knew better.

Taiyou had to be clearer with her if he wanted to date her. Gami was a natural airhead, after all.

"So, Taiyou-kun, who's this author you're talking about?" The elder Tsurugi inquired curiously. Amemiya had this wide grin on his face; Gami was infected just as easily. _'Well,'_ Yuuichi deducted with a knowing smile. _'Maybe these two _can_ get together too, with so much similarities and the like.'_

* * *

"Tsurugi, will you ever call me Aoi?"

"I would, but I'd prefer Sorano."

"Why is that?" Her hands were around his neck, even if he was squatted behind her.

"Like I said when we first talked, I'm not everybody."

Aoi turned around to face him, their noses brushing at the motion. "Don't you mean everybody can't be you?" She smiled teasingly at him as she stole a brief kiss. He stole one right back. "True as that is, not everyone's your boyfriend. And as the latter, I want to be the only one to call you Sorano."

"But that's saying you're not familiar with me yet," Aoi pouted. It was Tsurugi's turn to rob a small peck. "Between your boyfriend—" He wrapped his arms tightly around her waist; he always liked where his arms were that way, "—and your classmates, which of them knows you more?"

Aoi smiled discreetly. "The one who attacks me more."

Tsurugi sniggered as he dove in for her nape. "Not exactly what I had in mind, but just as correct." Aoi, although really enjoying Tsurugi's presence literally almost around her, managed to stop a groan. "But that doesn't answer my question."

* * *

"But in fact it does."

"That can't be…" Yuuichi was thinking of recommending Amemiya to mental institutes instead of physical ones. "Taiyou-kun, you can't possibly be able to hypnotize a person online!"

Taiyou was pouting across him. The three had now moved back to Yuuichi's room. "But it _is_ working, and it _is _possible, Tsurugi-san," He answered back.

"It's the power of love! DEATH!" Gami rattled on as she keeled over Sebastian Michaelis' and Grell Sutcliff's eccentrically exotic relationship. The two boys, who were actually working on cyber-hypnosis, sweatdropped right behind her swooning figure.

* * *

"And if I were to ask you, will you ever call me Kyousuke?"

"Of course I will!" Aoi was back into her personal warmer. Hopefully the kids weren't staring too much. "It's a charming name; why shouldn't I use it?" Tsurugi smiled at her as a reply.

"We're a bit of opposites, Sorano,"

"What do you mean?"

"Other than the really obvious physical features, like our height difference—" He felt himself being elbowed, but he managed a small chuckle. "—You're soft to the point where even your fans and sempai-tachi can just call you Aoi-chan even if you don't know them. I call you Sorano because I'm getting to know you; the same applies for you calling me 'Kyousuke'."

"My Aoi is the equivalent of your Tsurugi, is that it?"

"People call you 'Aoi' because they think they already know much about you. I start with Sorano because I'm still, sincerely knowing more about you."

'_Well,'_ Aoi thought to herself as she caved in closer to Tsurugi_. 'He still gives me that head over heels feeling, even if we're already together.' _She was smiling as his arms enveloped her more tenderly again.

* * *

"I got it!" Taiyou abruptly stood up, almost knocking the laptop off the bed. Yuuichi and Gami were apparently very busy tealnet-couple-hunting.

"Let's try hypnotizing this person called Shiranai Atsune!"

* * *

Sorry. SORRY. HAHAHAHA I couldn't help it. Taiyou had to make one last appearance, so I'm really, really sorry if you guys didn't like the ending. (I really suck at them too, so Jer-bear I blame you. :*)

And as for Shiranai Atsune-sempai-sama's FubuYusa fic, I'll get to that in a few weeks' time. Authors still have to rest, after all. ;))

Reviews, one last time! :))

-AniMa


End file.
